When Peterborough Speedway’s 2016 season takes the green flag, a hometown kid hopes to be one of the leading contenders for the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model track championship.

Mike Wallace isn’t just a familiar face in the pit area at Canada’s Toughest 3^rd of a Mile Paved Oval. Its where he grew up. His passion for the sport began during the 12 years that his family owned the Mount Pleasant Road raceway and after advancing through the driving ranks with some solid seasons in the Mini Stock division, the 37 year-old scored his first career Late Model main event win Late Model victory in the later stages of the 2015 campaign. With the new season less than a month away, Wallace will make a fresh start with an invigorated program.

“That feature race win couldn’t have come at a better time,” admitted Mike Wallace. “So much of what gets done in weekly racing is about attitude and that checkered flag was the spark that ignited the fuse for my team. I’d already started thinking about making some changes in our operation and now we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”

One of the first steps Wallace, a 3^rd generation racer – whose father and grandfather also logged seat-time in the sport – took is to acquire a new car to begin the 2016 calendar. The machine is a McColl Racing Enterprises chassis from the shops of former Kawartha Speedway Late Model runner Bryan Watts. Usually one of the more reserved drivers in the highly competitive field, Mike Wallace is proud to say that he’s fired-up about the new season and can’t wait to hit the track.

“Self confidence is a wonderful thing,” said Mike Wallace. “I can start the year with the knowledge that I’ve been to victory lane and there aren’t a lot of drivers in the field who can say that. The experience of getting out of the car after a big win is amazing and something I never want to forget. It makes you sit a little taller in the seat, looks great on a resume and is a strong conversation starter when you’re meeting with potential sponsors.”

For 2016, the #27 Late Model program is proudly supported by marketing partners JRB Engines & Performance, JBEX Construction, Kirk Morris State Farm Insurance, Puckrin & Latreille Real Estate Group, Custom Mobile Wash, Sitescape Landscape, Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre, Mister Transmission Peterborough, Shawn Micks Investments,

Morgan-Amber Photography and Spencer Lewis Promotions. Mike Wallace Racing is actively seeking additional advertising assistance for the upcoming season.

Prospective sponsors can reach and follow the team through the Mike Wallace Racing page at www.facebook.com or @Blueprint27MW on Twitter.